Children’s Day: Ahmed, Saraki bemoan insecurity

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has urged parents and guardians to show more commitment to the proper upbringing of their children and wards, especially in the face of prevailing security challenges in the country.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Dr. Bukola Saraki, advised the Federal Government and security agents to provide a safe home for the Nigerian child.

Ahmed, in a statement yesterday in Ilorin by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, was commenting on this year’s Children Day celebration.

The governor said Nigeria was passing through one of the most challenging and traumatic periods of its chequered political history.

He decried the spate of bombings, kidnappings and other forms of crimes in the country.

Ahmed said the society should ensure that the Nigerian child, especially the girl-child, lives peacefully to facilitate her for growth and well-being rather than under the present state of insecurity in the country.

The governor admonished the Nigerian child to strive for excellence.

He urged parents to instil religious and moral discipline in their wards so that they can be better members of the society.

According to him, religious leaders need to pray for peace and harmony in the country so that the nation can achieve its full potential.

Saraki stressed that “every child deserves a safe home”.

The former governor urged all stakeholders to “use this occasion to show love and protect the children’s interest and invest in them towards the realisation of their full potentials”.

He added: “As the senator representing Kwara Central, I pledge to continue to use my good office to advocate for the children’s welfare and contribute meaningfully to their growth and development in all ramifications.

“This is the right time to honour our children, who deserve much more than what our country currently present to them.

“In the past one month, our children have been the focal point of our collective struggle; to grant them freedom from the dens of their abductors and provide an enabling environment for them to become the future leaders of tomorrow. “

“At the moment, their dreams are under severe threat unless we pull our acts together so that we can grow stronger and combine our strength to bring back these girls.

“As parents, it is our responsibility to show them love always; to give them a sense of security that we can protect them and assure them that their well being means everything to us.

“Nigerians and indeed the world will sincerely admit the pathetic disposition of our government to the rescue of these girls. Without regard to politics, creed or ethnicity, we must continue to give those in authority, our military, and all our security agencies our full support to #BringBackOurGirls and in return they must show commitment and sincerity.

“I commend the unwavering efforts made so far by everyone in trying to locate the abducted children especially our military men.”